This invention relates in general to article carriers, and in particular to a lightweight carrier for articles such as golf clubs or the like.
Although golfers have available a wide selection of conventional golf bags for carrying their clubs, along with other articles such as golf balls and items of apparel, the conventional golf bags generally are relatively heavy and cumbersome. The weight and sheer physical bulk of the conventional golf bag, particularly when loaded with a full complement of clubs and accessories, is simply too great for the average golfer to carry personally while playing a round of golf. Moreover, the problems of personally carrying one's own golf bag are compounded by the fact that such bags are not self-supporting, particularly on the uneven terrain which characterizes most golf courses. Consequently, the golfer carrying his own bag must pick up and reshoulder the heavy bag after each shot, further adding to the burden of carrying the conventional golf bag and further reducing the golfer's enjoyment of the game.
While the golfer can overcome the foregoing problems by expedients such as hiring a caddy to carry the bag, or renting a motorized golf cart to carry bag and golfer about the course, such expedients are becoming increasingly more expensive and simply may not suit either the budget or the style of many casual or weekend golfers. The conventional hand-towed golf bag cart merely adds to the total weight which must be moved about the golf course.
Although golf bags have been proposed in an attempt to overcome many of the foregoing problems associated with conventional golf bags, such prior-art designs have generally been less than satisfactory for a number of reasons. Some such bags amount to little more than scaled-down versions of conventional full-size golf bags, sometimes with spiked feet added to engage the ground, and are still heavier than desirable for self-carrying by the average golfer. Moreover, the fabric or other material constituting the outermost surface of the typical prior-art lightweight golf bag is likely to become stained or soiled from use, and is difficult or impossible to remove from the bag for cleaning or replacement.